Chapter 3

Laughter erupted around the room.

“Lucky man, Julian!”

Janet walked over, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.

“Nora, don't be sad. Even if the engagement switches to someone else, you can still stay by Julian’s side. You two have history, after all.”

I stared at her, suddenly bursting into a dry laugh.

“And be a side chick just like you?”

Someone kicked me with the tip of his shoe.

“Stop acting up. A fake like you should be grateful just to stay by Julian’s side. What more do you want?

“Exactly. Word is your real parents are literal trash collectors. A low-class peasant like you is lucky the family even let you stand in this room tonight.”

Janet sighed dramatically and reached down to pull me up.

“Alright, get up first. You look hideous like this.”

I slapped her hand away with everything I had.

She shrieked, clutching her hand as her knuckles turned red. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

“Nora, it’s not my fault you’re not a real heiress! I don’t understand why you’re taking your anger out on me.”

My chest heaved violently.

Janet came from nothing.

When girls bullied her at school, I stood up for her.

When she couldn't afford luxury clothes, I pretended I bought extra pairs just to slide them into her bag so I wouldn't hurt her pride.

I brought her into my inner circle, introduced her to my high-society friends, and shared the best parts of my life with her.

And this was how she repaid me.

The smile faded from Julian’s face.

He walked over, bent down, and gently wiped the blood from my cheek with his thumb.

A second later, his palm cracked across my face.

The force left my ears ringing violently.

It took me seconds to process the sound. I barely turned my head back before another slap struck me down.

I hit the floor hard, my cheek burning like fire, mouth filling with blood.

Julian crouched next to me, stroking my hair with terrifying gentleness. He chuckled softly.

“Be a good girl. Apologize to Janet.”

I bit my lip until it bled, glaring up at him through tears of pure humiliation.

“Julian, you…”

SLAP!

He hit me again without a shred of mercy.

The left side of my face went completely numb.

Tears finally overflowed, breaking through my resolve.

Ethan frowned down at me from above.

“Nora, stop making a fool of yourself. Apologize.”

Every single pair of eyes in the room locked onto me.

I lowered my head, wiping my tears away with the back of my bruised hand.

“I’m sorry.”

I looked straight at Janet and repeated it louder.

“I’m sorry, Janet. It was my fault. Please forgive me.”

Janet smiled sweetly.

“What are you saying? We’re best friends, aren't we?”

She paused, her tone suddenly shifting into pure malice.

“Tell you what, get down and hit your head on the floor ten times, and we'll call it even.

“Actions have consequences, Nora.”

She smirked, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.

“You never learned that rule before. Let me teach you.”

I gripped my ruined dress tightly.

Then, I forced a laugh.

“At least let me patch myself up first. I think my rib is broken. If I bleed out right here, who’s going to bow down to you?”

I dragged myself up from the floor, keeping the fake smile glued to my face.

“I know everyone’s just joking around with me. It’s my birthday party, after all. Enjoy yourselves.”

The hall went dead silent for three whole seconds.

Then, the room exploded into deafening laughter that nearly tore the roof off.

Some guys bent over clutching their stomachs; others laughed until tears came out.

“The fake heiress is hilarious!”

“Joking around? Hahaha, just joking around!!”

“Best joke I’ve heard all year!”

Julian laughed. Ethan laughed, too.

Janet froze, caught off guard. She never expected me to swallow my pride and endure this.

I kept smiling.

I grabbed a full glass of wine from a nearby table and slammed it down in one gulp.

“My bad, everyone. Let me go handle these cuts first. I’ll come back and give a proper apology.”

I turned and walked toward the exit.

The moment my fingers touched the brass door handle, Ethan’s calm, measured voice echoed from behind me.

“Nora’s always been full of tricks. She says she’s getting patched up, but she’s probably heading out to call the cops.”

My blood ran ice-cold in an instant.

A second later, Julian’s bodyguards tackled me from behind and dragged me backward across the floor.

A massive hand grabbed the back of my neck, slamming my face mercilessly into the freezing cold tile.